Light signal for railways and the like



Feb. 26, I929. 1,703,224

w. ,CHALLIS ET AL LIGHT SIGNAL FOR RAILWAYS AND THE LIKE Fi d Oct. 22,1924 I 2 sheets-shat 1 Feb. 26, 1929. 1,703,224

- w. CHALLIS ET AL LIGHT SIGNAL FOR RAILWAYS AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 22,1924 2 Sheets-Shet 2 INVENTOR S Patented Feb. 26, 1929.

warren {STATES' 1,703,224 PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM CHALLIS, OF AMERSHAM COMMON, AND COURTENAY HAROLD IV. EDMONDS,OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE UNION SWITCHAND SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OFPENNSYLVANIA.

LIGHT SIGNAL FOR RAILWAYS AND THE LIKE.

Application filed October 22, 1924, Serial No. 745,120, and in GreatBritain January 15, 1924.

Our invention relates to light signals for railways and the like of thekind comprising one or more signal lamps adapted to projet-l. acorresponding number ofdiiferently colored beams of light in thedirection of a train or veliiclenioving along the railway track so toconstitute different signal indications. 1 V

Signal beams of light of this character are found in practice to beextremely effective for this purpose both in daylight and darkness, butowing to thenecessity of utilizing substantially parallel beams in orderto produce an effective indication at a considerable distance, it issomewhat diflicult under some conditions for the driver of anapproaching train or vehicle to observe the signal beam when closelyadjacent to its point of origin, that is to say. when the train is at ornear the signal lamp itself.

Accordingly, our present invention has for its object to overcome thisdifficulty by pro viding a relatively divergent spot or auxiliary lightbeam, so arranged as to be visible at a short distance from and up tothe position at which the signal lamp is located.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanyingdrawings, of which Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a lamp fitting for aspot or auxiliary light beam, the fitting being adapted to be mounted onthe hood of the lamp emitting the main signal beam.

Figs. 2 and 8 are views of the fitting for the auxiliary beam as seenfrom the front of the hood and from the rear of the fittingrespectively.

Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation of a portion of the lantern orhousing for the main signal beam provided with a fitting embody in}; ourinvention.

Referring now first to- Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the hood of the lamp emittingthe main signal beam is indicated at 1, the fitting for the auxiliarybeam comprising a conical base 2 adapted to be secured to the hood 1 bymeans of bolts as indicated at 3. The outer end or head of the base 2 isprovided with a cover ring 4 secured to the base by means of bolts 5,the internal edge of the cover ring 4 and the corresponding aperaturewithin the head of the base 2 being of spherical form toaccommodate acorresponding spherical projection 6, formed at one end of a lamp tube 7The spherical end of the lamp tube 7 is provided with a conical bushin 8screw-threaded to the endof the lamp tube 7, the inner end of thebushing 8 being provided with a lens 9 secured by means of the usualwire ring 10. A perforated inter nal partition 11 the lamp tube 7 servesto support a lamp holder 12 secured to the partition 11 by means of theshade rings 13 of the lamp holder, the outer end of the lamp tube 7being closed by means of a hollow plug 14 which is slotted and providedwith clamping lugs 15 for the purpose of securing a cable, not shown,containing the conductors leading to the lamp holder 12.

It will be seen that by loosening the bolts 5 of the cover ring 4 thelamp tube 7 may be adjusted so that its axis is inclined to the hood atany desired angle and the auxiliary beam of light emitted from a lampmounted in the lamp holder 12 can thus be directed as desired relativeto the direction of the main signal beam. The lens 9 is preferably ofsuch focus and the lamp tube 7 is so adjusted that the angle of theauxiliary divergent beam extends from a direction at right angles to thetrack through an angle of approximately towards the direction of themainsignal beam. 'The supply of current to the lamp holder 12 for the lampof the auxiliary beam is arranged to be con trolled. in accordance withthe supply of current to the corresponding signal lamp orthe'main beam,and preferably the lens 9 is arranged to be of the same color as thesignal lens of the main beam with which the auxiliary beam isassociated.

Referring now to Fig. 4 the lantern or housing of the signal isindicated at 16 and is provided with a'number of signal lenses for thedifferent signal beams, the upper one of these signal lenses beingindicated at 17 and a part of the next lower lens at 18. A hood 1surrounds the upper part of the signal lenses 17, 18 and the base of afitting embodying our invention is attached, in the manner previouslydescribed, to the hood 1 associated with lens 17, the parts being soadjusted that the beam transmitted from tube 7 is projected in thedesired direction.

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It will be understood that if desired each of the signal beams emittedfrom the same housing or lantern 16 may be provided with a fitting, sothat a separate auxiliary beam is provided for each main beam, in whichcase the color of the auxiliary beam is arranged to be the same as thatof the main beam, the color of the disc or lens 9 (Fig. 1) being, forinstance, the same color as the signal lens 17.

Our invention is evidently not limited to the particular constructionsor arrangements above described and illustrated which may be varied asrequired to meet particular con-- ditions.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our saidinvention and in What manner the same is to be performed, we declarethat what we claim is:

1. In combination with a light signal for projecting a main beam oflight and comprising a hood, a hollow base attached to said hood, acover ring, a cylindrical tube having a semi-spherical projection formedon one end, means for clamping said projection between said base andsaid ring to hold the tube in adjusted position with respect to thebase, a lens covering said one end oi the tube and located in the basemember, and alight source in the tube for projecting an auxiliary beamof light from said lens at an angle with said main beam.

2. In combination with a light signal for projecting a main beam oflight and comprising a hood, a hollow base attached to said hood, acylindrical tube having one end supported by and extending into suchbase, a lens covering such one end, an apertured transversely extendingpartition in said tube, and a threaded lamp holder in the aperture ofsaid partition and provided with rings whereby the lamp holder may beclamped to the partition.

In testimony whereof we affix our slgnatures.

WILLIAM CHALLlS. COURTENAY HAROLD W. EDMONDS.

